Distraction
by The Wayward Angel
Summary: After Katniss dies in the 74th Hunger Games, Peeta comes back different and needs Gale's help to get back to normal.


**Raye: This is my final story. Thank you for all the lovely reviews and for reading my stories. Allie will still be here to write for you. I will miss all our loyal readers. Much love~**

**Warning: Self-harm, suicidal thoughts, mention of character death and yummy boyxboy goodness**

**Disclaimer: I love the Hunger Games but sadly I make no profit from it… -sobs-**

_Distraction_

At first, while I watched Peeta during the Hunger Games, I hated him intensely. I loved Katniss, she was my best friend, my companion, and my other half. I couldn't stand watching him moon over her and proclaim his love for her at every turn; but it was even worse when she told him that she loved him back. When she kissed him and held him…a dark part of me hoped that he would just die from that infection in his leg so Katniss could kill Cato and come back home to me. With Peeta out of the way, when she came back, I could have her all to myself. But…things changed at the Cornucopia…

I remember watching as Katniss, Cato, and Peeta were chased up the golden monument by the mutts. Then Cato and Katniss fighting, Katniss protecting Peeta. Then Katniss slipping from the top of the Cornucopia, getting torn apart by the mutts. Then Cato turning his fury on Peeta who managed to knock Cato down off the Cornucopia despite the tourniquet on his leg. Finally Peeta managed to find Katniss' bow and arrows, shooting the two that remained into Katniss' heart and Cato's temple. The close up on Peeta's face made my heart wrench in my chest. He was crying silently as he crawled from the Cornucopia to the lake so the Hovercraft could retrieve the two bodies before declaring Peeta Mellark of District 12 the winner of the 74th Hunger Games.

When Peeta came back home he was definitely not the same little baker's boy that left what seemed like years ago. He had healed up just fine despite losing his leg at the knee. He wobbled a little when he walked but other than that he seemed fine except for his eyes. His eyes reflected pain and anger and sorrow. He was broken and for the rest of his life he would be mentoring kids to go through the exact same thing he just went through.

I suddenly couldn't hate him anymore.

After he stepped off the train and the reporters finally left days later, Peeta holed himself up in his house in the Victor's Village and refused to talk to anyone. I often went over to his house when I was finished at the mines before going home just to check on him, but he never answered the door. Not once. Ever. But I still trudge my way up to his house every day, hoping, silently, that he might open it just that one time.

XxX

Finally, one Friday, I'd had enough of his behavior. I stomped my way over to the Victor's Village and banged on Peeta's door. It was time for him to resume his place in the District. I refused to let him become like that drunk, Haymitch. "Peeta, I know you're in there, just answer the door!" I shouted.

Silence.

I growled and pounded on the door harder, "Peeta ,open the fucking door!"

Silence.

"Peeta!" I snapped before finally throwing all of my weight against the door once, twice, three times, before finally busting it open. My shoulder began to throb almost instantly, but at least I was finally inside.

The entire house was dark and seemed to be in need of a thorough cleaning. Dust clung to the furniture, cobwebs already forming in some of the corners, the floor oddly stained in places, dishes piled unwashed in the sink, and clothes strung all about through all of the rooms. A single light was on upstairs in what I assumed to be Peeta's room. I climbed the staircase up to the second floor. The light shined from under the crack in the door. I frowned softly; there was something very wrong here. I pushed open the door and gasped softly.

Peeta sat huddled in the corner of the room, hugging his knees to his chest. He was pale and thin and looked incredibly small at the moment. "Peeta…" I said gently.

His head snapped up, his eyes wide before he narrowed them into a glare, "Gale, how'd you get in here?"

"That's not important." I replied, taking a few steps forward before kneeling in front of Peeta.

He eyed me with distrust, "What do you want?"

"I just want to make sure you're okay…and you're obviously not." I said in a soft voice, looking over his body. He was naked from the waist up and even as pale and unhealthy as he looked in that moment he was incredibly attractive. I'd known for a long time that I was attracted to both men and women so it really didn't bother me all that much that I was actually checking out Peeta. I froze as I gazed down at his arms which were covered in cuts, some recent and still bleeding, others starting to heal. "Peeta…did you do this to yourself?" I asked, untangling his arms from his body.

He looked up at me with blank eyes before looking at the wall, "It should have been me Gale. Everyone would have been better off if I had died instead of Katniss. I want to die Gale, I deserve it. I can't keep living like this. I can't do this!" He exclaimed, turning back to me with desperate eyes.

"Shhh." I whispered, pulling Peeta tight against me, cradling his head against me, "It's okay Peeta, no one blames you." I said, stroking his blonde hair lightly.

"Yes they do Gale. They all would have preferred Katniss back over me. No one wants me here." He whimpered, clutching my shirt in his hands.

"You're wrong Peeta, I want you here. I want you here with me, Peeta. I care about you. Please, don't throw away your life. We lost Katniss, we can't lose you too." I replied, untangling his hands from my shirt. "Now, let's get these cuts taken care of." I said.

XxX

I took Peeta to my house. It seemed the logical thing to do. I had first aid supplies at my house and it would get the younger male out of his house, if only for the night. Once at my house we cleaned and bandaged his cuts, making sure they were well taken care of. Luckily, my mother and siblings had let us go about our business without question.

Later we lay together on my bed; I didn't trust him to be by himself. Peeta turned onto his side, his blue eyes staring intently into my hazel. "Gale, when you said, earlier, that you wanted me here with you…were you serious?" He asked.

"I was." I replied, "I care about you Peeta. I want to keep you safe and loved." His eyes drifted off to the side and I frowned, cupping his jaw and forcing him to look at me, "Don't look away. You deserve it, Peeta, you deserve to be loved."

"And you can do that?" The blonde replied.

"If you will allow me to." I said, my thumb stroking his cheek idly. He smiled lightly and leaned down to kiss me.

We spent the rest of the night in bed together, stroking each other into bliss. His cock was heavy and hard in my hand as I stroked him. He mewled into my neck, pressing sloppy open kisses to my throat as his large hands wrapped around my arousal, stroking me in return. We came with breathless moans against one another, our hands sticky. I reached down and found a towel on the floor and wiped us down before tossing it across the room. Peeta curled up next to me with his head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him close, kissing the top of his head sleepily.

"Gale…thank you…" He mumbled against my chest.

I ran my fingers through his hair gently, "I'll be here for you as long as you need me. To distract and love you."

"I think I'll need you for awhile." He replied after a moment before we both drifted off to sleep wrapped around one another.

**xoxo**

**Raye: So there you go. The revised version of Distraction. Hope you all enjoy it and I'll miss you all!**


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